Holding On
by Setep Ka Tawy
Summary: Sequel to "Save You". Seto Kaiba has emerged from the darkness of the Shadow Realm to which Pegasus banished him, with one purpose in mind - to find and rescue Mokuba. But even freed, it's harder than it might seem. Brotherly fluff! Please review!


So, yes, here's the sequel to "Save You". I figured it merited one, considering the rather depressing ending. The following story may make a bit more sense if you read "Save You" first, but either one can be read on its own. My, I'm just whipping out these stories! Enjoy!

**Author's Note:** This one is slightly different from the first in two ways - one, the perspective has been changed from first to third person, and two, I based it mostly off the manga rather than the (dub) anime, seeing as the latter is, in my opinion, either vague or cheesy regarding most of these scenes that I'm re-creating.

**Another Note:** As with the first, the title comes from a song by Simple Plan - "Holding On". Also, again, I've added/changed some things, and preserved others.

**Disclaimer:** Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Kazuki Takahashi.

(...and I extend my sincere apologies for the horrible summary. I'll try to think of a better one.)

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**Holding On**

Darkness.

It was all around him – completely mute, never quite tangible, unmoving and all-encompassing. It was a black void which offered him pain – nothing more, nothing less – and it was that pain which he accepted. His dulled consciousness recognized that this would only sustain his suffering, but he was helpless to refuse, because some dim spark held on to the idea that, eventually, there would be a chance to grasp more than just agony. And until that moment came, he was left with no choice but to continue to endure, and to reach for the impossible.

Shadows….

And then, barely palpable, a sound.

The sound of quiet movement.

The sound of drifting air.

A soft gasp.

And suddenly, he was once again – Seto Kaiba.

The first sensation he became aware of was the continued silence. For a moment, he wondered if anything had even changed, so still were his surroundings. The darkness remained, as did the total lack of movement. Was it all just a hallucination…?

But no, wait – another sound –

Footsteps. Hard, cold, echoing.

The protesting shriek of grating metal.

And a voice, detached and clinical –

"It's all over. You're free."

A pause…. more footsteps…. then silence.

The prisoner waited a moment, and then cautiously allowed his eyes to slit open. Blurred shades of grey met his vision – uninformative. Heavily, he raised his head, blinking in response to a dancing golden glow emanating from somewhere far in front of him. It was familiar – too familiar.

This time his breath was drawn inward as remembrance flooded in, followed by realization. He knew where he was – he had apparently been honored with his own cell, somewhere in the maze of the castle's dungeon. Guardedly, he shifted his weight, and was surprised to encounter no resistance other than his own unwillingness to move. There were no manacles around his limbs – no form of restraint whatsoever.

Of course, he hadn't been in much of a position for attempted escape.

A shudder ran through him, but he shoved it away forcefully. Thinking about it would only strengthen that horror's grip on his mind. Somehow, it was over, he was back, and now all he wanted to do was move forward.

Still disoriented, he slowly glanced around. The only thing that might have held his interest was, as far as he could tell, absent – he was alone. With difficulty, he tried to focus his thoughts. Only one thing mattered right now, and that was –

"Mokuba…." It was the first he had spoken since his spiritual imprisonment, and his voice came out as a harsh whisper. "Gotta…. find…. _Mokuba_…."

As though in a daze, using the wall for support, he slowly got to his feet. Almost immediately, he became aware of how weak he felt. How long had Pegasus kept him here? It felt like forever….

No. He couldn't think about that. He knew that Mokuba needed him, he had to keep his attention on his brother…. His hand clenched around the locket hanging from his neck, and he staggered over to where the cell door hung ajar, no longer required. The corridor beyond was deserted, stretching out in either direction with no hint as to which was the right way. A feeling of despair threatened to consume Seto. It had taken him a considerable amount of time to find Mokuba the first time around, and then perhaps only because he had followed the trail of the guards. But now, his brother could be anywhere – anywhere in the dungeons – anywhere in the _castle_….

There was a kind of defeat in his eyes as he slumped in the entrance of the cell. He knew what a labyrinth these passages were – it seemed impossible to be able to find his way through them on his own. Yet still, he didn't understand how his will could be so eroded…. hopelessness had never been a major part of his character….

"Mokuba," he called softly, staring into the shadows as though hoping that a reply would make itself heard. "Mokuba…!"

_Seto…._

He caught his breath, disbelieving. Was he hearing things, or had someone actually called his name? His body went still as he waited, his pulse quick with desperation, his mind fumbling for an inconceivable hope.

_Seto…._

The voice echoed through the bleak passage, dim and far away, fading back into silence. Kaiba reached out with one hand, as though by doing so he could grasp and hold on to that sourceless whisper. _Wait,_ he called out mentally, hardly aware of his body stumbling forward. _Come back – _He groped ahead through the half-darkness, trying to follow the lingering echo, his eyes strangely blank and clouded.

It seemed to go on for an eternity. He had no idea where he was, or where he was going. He simply knew that the unknown voice was his sole guide through the fog in his mind, his only chance of escaping this hellish labyrinth; and so, falteringly, he drove himself forward. Time and space had no meaning – his surroundings were vague and distorted, his progress – if it existed – unable to be measured. The repeated whisper of his name was his only lifeline, and of it he refused to let go….

Then, quite suddenly, he seemed to come out of this trance. He halted, slightly dizzy, trying to regain some sense of orientation. A few rapid blinks of his eyes sufficed to bring his vision back to normality, and he looked around, confused. Was this – the entrance hall of the castle? Or some similar room, anyway. And now, here he was, facing a pair of looming double doors….

Almost absently, he put both hands flat against the cold surface before him, and pushed. There was a moment of resistance, and then ponderously, the weight yielded, drifting open. Quite emotionless, he slipped through the newly created aperture, not even taking notice as the door swung slowly closed again behind him.

A sensation of sudden warmth flooded through Seto as he was bathed in the rays of the setting sun, and a shiver trembled his shoulders – after the chill of the dungeons, it was strange to feel heat. Even stranger was the light breeze brushing at his hair, wreathing him with the scents of fresh life. And yet, wonderful as this all was….

"Seto!"

He looked up, startled. That voice again – but it sounded different, somehow –

"_Seto!"_

Kaiba dropped his eyes. A few feet from here he was standing, a long staircase led straight downward to the ground. And there, at the bottom –

"Mokuba…!" His voice was hoarse, impeded by the sudden emotion coursing through him, washing the last of the fog from his mind. He could only watch as his brother dropped the briefcase he was holding and dashed toward the stairs.

"Seto!" There were tears in Mokuba's tone as well as his eyes. "Big brother!"

Kaiba started forward, but there was no real need. Mokuba took the last few steps in a bound and, tears now streaming joyfully down his face, hurled himself forward – straight into the welcoming arms that stretched out to meet him and then gathered him into a loving embrace.

Seto felt a true smile on his lips as he gazed down at his brother, who was hugging him tightly. "It's all right," he murmured, passing a hand through Mokuba's hair. "We're both safe now." And somewhere deep inside, he felt a strange thrill of completion.

Gently, he detached Mokuba's hands and placed his own on the other's shoulders, dropping to one knee so that they were on eye level. Mokuba sniffed happily, wiping at his eyes.

"I – I didn't know where you'd gone, Seto," he confessed. "One minute you were holding me, and then the next, it was all cold and dark…. and you weren't there anymore…."

"I know." Comfortingly, Kaiba brushed a stray lock of hair from his brother's eyes. "Believe me, I know." Almost to himself, he added, "But I _don't_ know how we both got – got back…."

"It was Yugi. He beat Pegasus – and saved us, I guess. He told me what – what you did…."

"Yugi…?" Slowly, Seto rose, and his eyes narrowed as they fell upon the group below, whom he had at first ignored in favor of his reunion with Mokuba. "Yugi…. managed to defeat Pegasus?" For a moment, he seemed to struggle with himself; but then, his features unexpectedly relaxed. He shrugged.

"In retrospect, I suppose it isn't as surprising as it might have been."

Yugi glanced up then, and their eyes met. Kaiba nodded in response, and then began descending the long staircase, Mokuba following close behind.

"So, Yugi," the CEO said finally, looking down at the other duelist. "It appears I underestimated you again."

Yugi smiled, somewhat sheepishly. "Well, not really," he protested, with a good-natured laugh. "I'm just glad everything turned out okay."

Seto considered him for a long moment, and then said quietly, with the utmost sincerity, "Yugi – thank you. My brother means everything to me. I don't know how to repay you for saving him."

"Just knowing that this is all over is thanks enough for me," Yugi admitted. "Take care of him, won't you?"

Kaiba nodded, reaching down to retrieve the briefcase his brother had discarded. Straightening, he turned and looked piercingly at his rival. "For now, I'd say we're even, Yugi," he acknowledged. "But our battle isn't over." A hint of steel returned to glint in his eyes. "One day, you and I will duel again – and one of us will walk away with pride." His lips twisted into a half-smile, knowing and without malice. "So enjoy your new title while you have the chance."

Ignoring the others, he abruptly pivoted and began walking down the faint path that led away from the castle, his eyes narrowed slightly in the glare of the sun. He didn't want to admit, even to himself, how good it felt to be free again.

"Wait up, Seto!"

Kaiba paused, turning partially in response to the call and the sound of pounding footsteps. He just had time to drop the briefcase before Mokuba, face alight, took a running jump and tackled him. Both brothers tumbled to the ground, the younger's delighted laughter echoing around them.

"Got you," Mokuba gasped, grinning like a maniac from his sprawled position beside his sibling.

Hair and clothing in disarray, Seto lifted his head to stare incredulously at his brother. And then, in a surprise move even to himself, he, too, began laughing.

"Come here, you," he said affectionately, sitting up and pulling Mokuba close. He closed his eyes for a few moments, and then released his hold, leaning back slightly so that their gazes could meet.

"So, what d'you say, little brother?" he asked, smiling. "You ready for me to take you back home where we both belong?"

"You bet!" Mokuba exclaimed.

"Come on, then." Easily, Seto got to his feet. Mokuba also bounced up. "My 'copter's waiting."

"Awesome!" The younger Kaiba ran to retrieve the briefcase once more, which he handed to Seto, and the two of them set off again. Mokuba dashed ahead eagerly, but Kaiba maintained his steady, fluid stride. His thoughts were pensive, but full of confidence. His brother was safe and well, KaibaCorp was back under his control, and as for his status as a duelist…. well, the prospect of defeating Yugi was just another incentive to keep him holding on.

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*theatrical gasp* Why, I do believe that Seto didn't swear once in this entire story! He must have been worn out from his stay in the Shadow Realm....

Anyway, hope this measured up to its predecessor. Please review! May the Force be with you.


End file.
